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Switzerland will significantly increase its truck toll from 1 January 2027, a measure expected to generate an additional 68 million Swiss francs annually, two thirds of which would be earmarked for rail infrastructure investments. At present, toll revenues amount to around CHF 1.5 billion, most of which is directed towards financing the rail sector. However, the Transport Committee of the Swiss parliament considers this insufficient, noting that the modal shift is at a turning point, with combined road–rail services being discontinued, SBB Cargo reducing operations and the number of transalpine truck journeys continuing to rise.

The decline in revenues is largely due to cleaner vehicles on Swiss roads. Almost 90 percent of trucks already fall into the lowest emission class, while battery and hydrogen-powered vehicles remain exempt from the levy until 2029. Under the agreement between Switzerland and the EU, there is still scope to raise tolls to the maximum permitted levels, which the Transport Committee now intends to do.

The plans have been strongly criticised by ASTAG, the Swiss commercial vehicle association, which argues that higher road charges will only raise consumer costs without improving the rail sector. According to ASTAG, the difficulties facing rail freight are primarily linked to infrastructure problems in Germany and France rather than domestic financing.

While electric trucks will continue to be exempt from the toll, vehicles running on biofuels will be charged the full amount. A proposal to grant them a reduction did not pass, leading ASTAG to warn that this decision risks slowing the decarbonisation of the Swiss truck fleet.